Zambia reviews over 820 mining license applications, as artisanal mining demand surges

Zambia’s Minerals Regulation Commission (MRC) says it has reviewed 823 mining licence applications over the past two weeks, representing nearly half of the 1,672 applications that were pending, with artisanal mining accounting for the largest share.

The applications comprised 462 Artisanal Mining Rights, 164 Large-Scale Exploration Licences and 192 Small-Scale Exploration Licences.

In a statement issued on Friday, MRC Board Chairperson Matongo Matamwandi said 305 of the 462 artisanal mining rights applications, or 66%, were approved, while 151 (33%) were deferred pending the submission of additional documentation and six (1%) were rejected for failing to meet statutory requirements.

Matamwandi said the approved artisanal mining rights included 68 mining cooperatives and 237 individual licence holders, with 33.7% of the individual licences awarded to women, reflecting the Government’s commitment to promoting inclusive participation in the mining sector.

For Large-Scale Exploration Licences, he said 14 applications (8.5%) were approved, 139 (85%) were deferred pending additional information and 11 (6.5%) were rejected for non-compliance with licensing requirements.

In the Small-Scale Exploration Licence category, 125 applications (65%) were approved, 26 (13%) were deferred and 41 (22%) were rejected after failing to meet statutory requirements.

Matamwandi said formalising the mining sector through a transparent and efficient licensing process remains critical to combating informal mining, promoting responsible mineral development and increasing citizen participation in the sector.

“The MRC remains committed to clearing the remaining backlog of applications as quickly as possible while upholding fairness, transparency and accountability,” he said.

He encouraged successful applicants to comply with all licence conditions and urged applicants whose submissions had been deferred to provide the required documentation to facilitate timely consideration.

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